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Dachshund

Dachshunds have three distinct coat varieties and two sizes. The coat is either
smooth, long-haired or wire-haired and the sizes are standard or miniature. The
colors should be red, black/tan, chocolate, wild boar with brindle, tan, yellow,
piebald, speckle-streaked, harlequin, black/chestnut, brown/chestnut, sable, red
boar and gray/chestnut. All colors are accepted when showing this breed. White is
allowed on the chest but is not desirable. The long tapered head is somewhat convex.
They should have a slightly arched forehead blending with the muzzle, creating an
elongated look. The eyebrows should be protruding. The almond shaped eyes should
be medium in size and either dark red or brown/black in color. The pendant high-set
ears are long and have rounded tips. The eye rims, nose and lips should all be black.
The powerful jaw has extremely strong teeth meeting in a scissor-like bite. They
generally have 42 teeth. The neck is slightly arched merging into muscular shoulders.
Their broad chest is deep with a prominent breastbone and moderately retracted abdomen.
The topline is level. The well-developed forelegs appear straight in profile; however,
they are slightly angled. The hindlegs have a broad knee joint and the large feet
are well-padded with strong nails. Removing the front dewclaws is optional but the
rear declaws need to be removed when showing this breed. The feathered tail should
be slightly curved and carried in line with the back.

Temperament

Dachshunds are lively, affectionate, bold, tenacious, willful and clownish. They
are devoted to their families and become quite attached, sometimes to one family
member in particular. This breed usually gets along better with older children and
are generally good with other pets; however, they can become jealous, touchy, irritable,
stubborn and quick to bite. Occasionally, they will even refuse to be handled. They
are compulsive diggers but great traveling companions. This breed enjoys barking
and it is surprisingly loud compared to the size of the dog. Out of the three coat
varieties, the long hair is said to be the friendliest and the wire-haired the most
outgoing and clown-like.

Because of their long bodies, Dachshunds are prone to spinal disc problems. Other
health concerns include heart disease, diabetes and urinary tract problems.

Living Conditions

Dachshunds do great in an apartment as they are very active indoors.

Exercise

This breed has lots of energy and is very active. They love to go for walks, but
be careful that they are not stepped on. Try not to let them jump as they are prone
to spinal disc problems.

Life Expectancy

About 12-15 years

Grooming

The long-haired breed requires daily brushing. The wire-haired breed should be professionally
trimmed twice a year. The smooth-haired breed only needs to be wiped down with a
damp cloth. They are average shedders.

Origin

Although Dachshunds can be traced back to 15th century Germany, there are records
indicating their existence much earlier than this. Dachshund type dogs were found
in an Egyptian pharaoh's tomb dated over 5000 years old. These dogs have also been
found in ancient Egyptian and Mexican art. Remains of this breed were also found
in Italian shipwrecks dating back to the 1st century A.D. They were developed and
used to dig badgers out of their dens. Dachs means badger in German, hence the breed's
name. The smaller or miniature varieties were used to crawl into rabbits dens and
scare them out of hiding. The breed was standardized by German breeders in 1879
and a breed club was established in 1888. When Prince Albert married Queen Victoria,
he exported several of this breed. They soon became popular throughout Great Britain
and by the 19th century, they were also in high demand in the United States. The
breed became less popular in the western countries during World War I, due to their
Germanic heritage. Today, prejudices have been set aside and this breed is well
known for their hunting abilities as well as their participation in field trials.
They are recognized by the AKC and the UKC.